Govt concerned over money-laundering claims at ICBC's Madrid branch

China has expressed its concern over a raid by Spanish law enforcement officers on the Madrid branch of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd as part of an investigation into alleged money laundering.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hong Lei said on Thursday: "The Chinese government always demands that domestic companies operating abroad strictly abide by the laws, both of China and the country they are working in.

"At the same time, we hope Spain will handle relevant issues fairly according to the laws, guarantee the legal rights of Chinese companies and staff there, and maintain good development of Sino-Spanish relations."